The Marketing Society Dinner

John Ayling, of John Ayling Associates - one of the UK's last independently owned media buying companies invited me to The Marketing Society's annual dinner this evening. Now, I'm not a big fan of marketeers on the whole, all self justification and explaining about the (largely snobby) difference between 'marketing' and (prol) 'selling' and all that. But nonetheless, I like John as he's more than a bit maverick so I went along for the ride.

I won't say it was the highlight of my year as I was pretty wiped out from a busy schedule last week and a day's travelling, but nonetheless I did enjoy a good time - Peter McGill on the one side, and John on the other probed into 'new media' (internet - be there now as Oasis would say) and what I'm up to shaving wise (if I tell you I'd have to kill you) and the marketing director of the RMB (Ready Mixed Beverage) brand WKD was there which was good, but the highlight was laughing at William Hague's parliamentary anecdotes as after dinner speaker.

Funny guy William - short + a very 'loud' voice so you knew he was there, and a good wit too - a raconteur certainly, but so obviously at home in an environment which warmed to him and his laugh-a-minute recollections of our government and its day to day inhabitants. It was hard not to laugh - I certainly did - but I did wonder in between 'Edwina Currie this' and 'Ken Livingstone that' why, when he was Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition he didn't engage with the Great British Public in such an easy, friendly and communicable way - one that he was eminently able to do with 1,200 of the UK's creme de la creme of marketers.

But there was certainly a jarring and obvious frustration with Teflon Tone and his unerring ability to appear whiter than white (maybe he's Persil's new signing - out of the way Gerrard) and the C party's inability to dislodge him, indeed an absolute resignation that they are waiting until the batting gets easier with the next mooted incumbent to see if they can dislodge him.

So politics, it seems, as in the USA is built entirely around the personality, not the party - Brand Thatcher worked well 79 to 92 and then fell away, Brand Blair has worked well 97-2007 and now Brand Cameron is in the ascendant and I'm sure Saatchi will ensure it 'Works Well' although you wouldn't believe he was a fan of Dave reading today's red tops.

As for William - well - close but no cigar. Apparently 27% of marketers polled thought he would have made a great PM that never was. Mmmm, even though I was at reject maths at school that leaves more than 70% thinking Blair does it Better. Stick to the after dinner speaking circuit and the John Prescott jokes then.

Grooming the next Generation

16.11.06: It's been National Enterprise Week this week, and I was delighted to talk to about 120 students from two Lowestoft schools - Kirkely High (my old high school) and Denes High about business, enterprise and the qualities (i think) that are needed to succeed in today's knowledge & enterprise environment. I was delighted with the questions asked, and the attention paid to my presentations - and hope that a little of what i talked about in terms of S P A C E and RISK, found a home! Thanks to Simon Tarr from Kirkley High, Julie Mayo from Denes and the organising teachers and children from both schools.

The talk was kindly covered by The Eastern Daily Press, many thanks to Chris Starkie, Business Editor for arranging this coverage at short notice, and to the journalist and photographer who attended.

The King's Blog

Hi, my name is Will King, founder of shaving brand, King of Shaves. I've been posting comments at our website at www.shave.com/site/docs/news.epl since 2001, and thought it was about time to get them into a space that people might read more frequently.

Visit back soon, and we'll have some new posts for you on my mission to 'Shave the World'!